Dramatic science news on climate change last week (articles pending) was completely overshadowed by the controversy drummed up by right-wing pundits and politicians over Obama administration advisor Van Jones. Jones held a job in the Council on Environmental Quality nicknamed the "green jobs czar" until this weekend when he resigned over controversial statements and associations from his work prior to his White House post. One regular pundit for Fox News, home of Jones' most vocal critic Glenn Beck, both claimed credit and made it clear that this controversy was always about stopping green jobs and clean energy.
Van Jones speak at the National Clean Energy Summit 2.0
in Las Vegas, Aug 2009. T. Boone Pickens listens left.
(AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide," Jones said in a resignation statement Sunday. The White House insisted the decision was Jones' alone and thanked him for his service on Sunday.
Jones' resignation in the wee hours of Sunday, before the morning's political talk shows, captured the nation's attention. Phil Kerpin of the conservative think-tank American's for Prosperity claimed victory. In a column outlining his role in feeding Glenn Beck's fire, Kerpin makes clear that bringing down green jobs and the green jobs czar is just one piece of a campaign to prevent federal action on climate change.
One of the first orders of business for the U.S. Senate this September will be a bill setting limits on global warming pollution and a framework for a clean energy economy. Strong climate legislation would mean millions of new green jobs for America. With yesterday's resignation, the White House lost one of its most eloquent spokespeople for stopping global warming and the new clean energy jobs that would result.
Want more on Van Jones?
Watch this White House video featuring Van Jones and DC Greenworks talking about green jobs:
Or this video where he lays out a vision of a clean energy economy:
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